All’s Well That Ends Well Provided All’s Forgiven
“All’s Well That Ends Well” is an axiom that’s been around since 1602 when William Shakespeare gave that title to a staged drama that included both tragedy and comedy; in the end, after all the ups and downs, laughter and tears, rights and wrongs, everything turned out well.
As the story of Joseph nears its end, his life has been subjected to a cycle of tragedy, triumph, tragedy, triumph. Now we come to that part of the story in which triumph once again has given way to tragedy, but this time with a touch of comedy thrown in before the story ends on a positive note.
To this part of the story I have given the title, “All’s Well That Ends Well Provided All’s Forgiven!”
When we last left Joseph, he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and, as a result, at the age of 30, he was put in charge of the entire land of Egypt.
Joseph’s prediction of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine came true not only in Egypt but also in Canaan where father Jacob had no choice but to send Joseph’s brothers except Benjamin down to Egypt to buy grain.
Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him. Joseph toyed with them rather amusingly by accusing them of being spies so as to set up a scenario whereby they would have to prove their honesty by leaving Simeon in prison while the rest of them went back home, with their bags filled with grain but with the stipulation that, when they returned, they would bring Benjamin with them.
Appalled by this stipulation due to the further suffering it would heap upon their father, the brothers, unaware that Joseph understood their language, began to “spill their guts” to each other in remorse for what they had done to their brother Joseph, feeling that the accusation against them was God’s way of punishing them.
On their journey back home, the brothers discovered that not only did their bags contain the grain but also the silver they had paid for the grain! Fear reigned!
In fear they went to bed each night . . . got up each morning . . . ground grain each day . . . tended the few animals they had left . . . made and ate daily bread . . . dreaded the day when their supply of grain would run out!
The family waited as long as they could before having to decide between starving to death and going back to Egypt. Jacob had no choice but to comply with Joseph’s terms, so he sent his youngest son to Egypt as required by circumstances. Sometimes circumstances dictate our actions . . . we have to do what we don’t want to do.
As a show of good will, Jacob sent valuable gifts; as a gesture of good faith, he sent twice the amount of silver for buying the grain they needed. In penitence, Jacob’s sons were to prostrate themselves before Joseph humbly and obediently.
When the brothers arrived in Egypt and Joseph saw Benjamin, he arranged for all of them to stay at his house where they would be reunited with Simeon and treated hospitably because they passed the test of honesty and humility!
For the first time in 20 years, all 12 sons of Jacob were together – seated at a dinner table! As Joseph looked around, emotions welled up within him to the point that he excused himself, found a private place, and wept.
Upon Joseph’s return to the room, the partying began and “they feasted and drank freely” (43:34). Everyone was “happy, happy, happy”!
End of story? No! Why can’t everybody just live happily ever after? Well, “everybody” is not there yet . . . God’s plan is not yet complete . . . there are some loose ends left dangling . . . there are matters that must be tended to: *Confession . . . The party is over and it’s time for the brothers to go back home to Canaan. A silver cup is placed in Benjamin’s bag. Why? I suppose Joseph wanted to find out if these guys were for real . . . would abandon Benjamin like they had him?
The moment of truth had arrived, as it always does and will. The cup was found in Ben’s bag, but, it was the response of the brothers that was being tested. And who was it that spoke up to confess . . . not the stealing of the cup but the far more serious sin of betraying a brother! From the presenting problem to the real problem!
As ought to be the case when a moment of truth arrives, it was the elder, more mature brother who spoke up – Genesis 44:16 - “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt.” We’re all guilty before God!
Here at last is what Joseph has been waiting for – not just an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment of God! There can never be a setting free from one’s past until there is confession by me after the fact! Think about it:
When the party was over and it was time for these brothers to go home, they had their grain, but they still had their guilt! Partying is a temporary escape from reality!
The truth was about to set them free, but it would hurt them first! The truth often hurts, but you gotta come clean if you wanna get better!
These guys had been sick with guilt for a long time, but keeping it secret kept them in bondage to fear for many a year. “Confession is good for the soul”, but it’s also good for one’s emotional well-being.
Judah had been freed emotionally! Standing before Joseph, still not knowing Joseph was his brother, Judah makes a remarkable speech on behalf of Benjamin – a heartfelt plea (argument) to let them take his little brother back home. The clincher: *Change . . . Genesis 44:33 . . . What a wonderful change in Judah’s life has been wrought by loving kindness on the part of a benevolent, fair-minded ruler! Judah responds to the challenge by offering himself in place of his brother!
Judah has learned what the real values of life are! He does not know who Joseph is but understands the deep emotions every decent person responds to - in this case, the sorrow of a father’s heart over a lost son whom he had dearly loved, and now, his protective love for his still-living youngest child.
And Judah’s feelings are not a matter of words only. He is ready to act in a spirit of self-giving - which is exactly opposite from his earlier spirit of ill-will.
Well, Joseph doesn’t need to hear anything else. It’s time for:
*Conciliation . . . Genesis 45:1-4 . . . What a heart this man Joseph has! You know what? Weeping never hurt anyone! Joseph’s public display of authority we have seen time and time again. Now we see genuine concern . . . emotion . . . compassion.
What we see in Joseph’s response to unresolved conflict are two biblical qualities that constitute greatness - tough-mindedness and tender-heartedness! Which of us does not need the spirit of Joseph - so evident in this moment of confrontation - when in spite of numerous reasons he had for returning hurt for hurt, his affection for his family is so real that the one thing he is concerned with is to forgive and to restore.
What Joseph wanted to know most was, “Is my father still living?” And to the men who had wronged him he did not say, “I am the authority who can break you”. He said, “I am Joseph your brother.”
“All’s well that ends well” has now become reality because all’s forgiven!
Now it’s time for moving forward - a new perspective made possible by forgiveness – Genesis 45:5-13 . . . Folks, when we view our lives from the perspective that God has been at work, and still is, in and through all our circumstances, there are these rewards:
*Contentment . . . Joseph had learned in whatsoever state he found himself to be content, and wanted his brothers to experience it . . .
*Confidence . . . Because of his contentment in times of tragedy as well as times of triumph, Joseph was confident that he and his brothers had been allowed to succumb to tragedy then given opportunity to overcome via triumph for a reason known only to God at the time of each occurrence but to be revealed to them in due time as permitted by the Lord their God . . .
*Closeness . . . There’s nothing quite like a family get-together when all is well and everybody gets along. There’s nothing quite like a tragedy for bringing folks back together to triumph over tragedy! Looking forward to reunion excites me like nothing else does!
*Certainty . . . Anytime God through one of His spokesmen says, “I will”, you can be absolutely certain of it. What He says He will do, He will do! Whereas Joseph rightly said, “Make haste and bring my father down”, what I’m thinking is that God our Father beckons you and me to come unto Him that, as Jesus said, “Where I am there ye may be also.” Of a certainty! Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
